The ambivalent role of Bacteroides in enteric infections

Elise Bornet; Alexander J Westermann

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.009

The ambivalent role of Bacteroides in enteric infections

Trends Microbiol. 2022 Feb;30(2):104-108. doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.009. Epub 2021 Dec 8.

Authors

Elise Bornet¹, Alexander J Westermann²

Affiliations

¹ Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany.
² Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany; Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: alexander.westermann@uni-wuerzburg.de.

PMID: 34893402
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.009

Abstract

Bacteroides spp. are increasingly used as model gut commensals in cocolonization studies with enteropathogens. The collective findings imply common themes of colonization resistance but also pathogen crossfeeding. We discuss how cutting-edge transcriptomics may help to disentangle the molecular basis of the divergent roles of Bacteroides in either protecting against or promoting infection.

Keywords: Bacteroides; enteric infection; host–microbe interaction; hybrid-selection RNA-seq; single-cell RNA-seq; triple RNA-seq.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bacteroides* / genetics
Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
Symbiosis